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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: last · face · chip · nail · scale · bulb · mug · root

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. bulb — for light
  3. chip — to eat
  4. last — final
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. scale — in music
  7. root — of a word
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. root — of a plant
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. last — to go on
  15. scale — size or range
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. face — to confront
  18. root — the cause
  19. last — finally
  20. mug — a cup
  21. chip — for betting
  22. face — to point toward
  23. mug — to rob
  24. nail — on a finger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com